We Are Divergent
by Megan Hermione Lovegood
Summary: In a society divided into five factions, Suzanne has a difficult choice to make. Should she stay with her mother in a faction she doesn't belong in, or make the switch and be truly happy? When Suzanne makes her choice, she realises that her new life isn't all it's cracked up to be -with new friends, new enemies and a secret Suzanne is struggling to understand, how will she survive?


**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Divergent or any of its characters. They are all property of Veronica Roth. I only own my original characters.**

I lean against my mother's legs as she runs her fingers through my hair. My bare arms are warmed by the heat of the crackling fire in front of us. My eyes travel lazily around the room, taking in the blue walls, the large stone fireplace, and the picture of my family above the mantlepiece as if I haven't seen them every day of my life.

'Let me tell you a story, Suzanne,' Mom says as she continues to comb my hair with her fingers. I grin sleepily, my eyes closed - she's told me this story many a time, and that's always how she starts it.

'Tell me a story, Mom,' I say, humoring her.

'There was once a boy, named Joseph Richardson,' says Mom happily as she rests her hands on top of my head, 'But he was nicknamed "Red", because of his hair.' She points at the picture above the mantelpiece - it's of her, me and my father, from over thirteen years ago. My father and I have the same hair - wild and curly, almost untameable, and a dark auburn colour.

'Now, Red was a very brave man,' Mom continues, 'Being Dauntless, bravery was a must. Red was also a very clever man, however. So clever, that his keen mind and thirst for knowledge outshone the bravery, and he became Erudite.'

'Then what happened?' I ask.

'In Erudite, there was a girl named Louise,' Mom says, pointing towards the picture again. In it is a small, curvy, dark-skinned woman - my mother when she was young. 'When Louise met Red, she was spellbound. Unbeknowst to her, Red was spellbound too. At the end of initiation, Red asked Louise out, and they were very happy together for four years. On their fourth anniversary, Red proposed, and Louise said yes. They were married six months later.'

She then points to the picture of her and Dad's wedding day. Dad, a tall, pale, lanky man with coppery curls, has his arm around Mom, a petite, pretty black woman. The combination should look ridiculous - especially considering the extremely large difference in height - but somehow, it works. They both positively glow with happiness.

'And what happened after that?' I ask, my grin taking up at least half of my face.

'Well, several months after their wedding day, Louise found out she was pregnant. Her and Red were both ecstatic,' Mom says as she begins to stroke my hair. 'Nine months later, Louise gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. She had Red's hair and figure, and Louise's dark skin and blue eyes. They named her Suzanne.'

She then points to another picture on the wall, this one of me. I'm three in this photo - my auburn frizz is in a cloud around my head, I'm grinning despite my ugly gappy teeth, and I'm already much taller and lankier than I should be. I'm not sure where Mom's getting the whole "beautiful" thing from, but nonetheless I smile - at least, until I remember what happpens next.

'And then?' I whisper.

'Red, Louise and Suzanne were blissfully happy for three years after that,' Mom says. 'Until . . .'

'It's OK, Mom,' I say, turning to face her. 'You don't have to go on.'

Mom shakes her head wordlessly, her eyes gazing off into space, and she then continues.

'A month or so after Suzanne's third birthday, Red died unexpectedly,' she says, a tear slipping down her cheek. 'Louise and Suzanne were both heartbroken. They never really forgot the pain of losing Red, but they still had each other - and they still do, thirteen years later. The end.'

She wipes the tear from her cheek, blinks furiously, and turns to me, smiling warmly.

'Now, honey,' she says. 'Enough of the sob stories. Let's talk about _you. _Are you nervous for tomorrow?'

I shake my head quickly. 'No, no,' I say. 'I'm fine. The tests don't have to change our choices, after all.'

'Suzy, baby,' Mom says gently. 'You know you can tell me anything, right? It's OK to be nervous.'

My eyes shift away from her gaze uncomfortably as I look out the window of our apartment. It's pitch black outside, so all I can see is my own reflection. I'm tall, lanky and narrow. My auburn hair is long and curly, and my skin is pale brown, as I am mixed race. My face is long and slightly pinched, and my eyes are bright blue and slanted. I'm alright looking, I guess - not ugly, but not pretty, either.

'OK, I'm nervous,' I say. 'No, scratch that - I'm absolutely freaking terrified.'

Mom laughs lightly. 'It's OK to feel that way, baby,' she says gently. 'I know I did. But just remember, my little Suzanne - no matter what faction you choose, I will always love you.'

Tomorrow is the day of the aptitude test - the day I will find out where I should spend the rest of my life. Will I stay as an Erudite, and be with my mother, or will I choose another faction and abandon her?

I don't know. Don't get me wrong, I love Erudite, but things have been changing as of late, and not exactly for the better. Our representative and leader, Jeanine Matthews, has been releasing reports that attack out rival faction, Abnegation. While I may disagree with Abnegation's views, I have nothing against it. I know they don't deserve what my faction is doing to them.

'Go on to bed, Annie,' Mom says. 'You'll need the sleep.'

I hug her, then make my way towards my bedroom and lay out my clothes for tomorrow - blue jeans, a blue zip-up jacket, and one of my father's black T-Shirts, from when he was a Dauntless. I look down at the shirt uncertainly. Would I be cut out for Dauntless? The Dauntless certainly fascinate me, but is that just an Erudite's thirst for knowledge showing, or is it because I want to be one of them?

I wish I knew.


End file.
